Some of the firearms the you locally known as Gelweng handed over to the disarmament forces in Rumbek this week | Credit | Mayor Mou

A member of the national parliament representing Rumbek East has called for the public destruction of arms collected from the civilians.

Honorable Dharuai Mabor says the guns being removed from the hands of civilians should be dismantled to avoid any re-armament of the civil population.

Thousands of firearms have been voluntarily handed over to the authorities in Lakes State.

The exercise comes after deliberation between civilians and the disarmament team, led by Lieutenant General Rin Tueny Mabor to ensure the exercise is carried out peacefully as ordered by the Presidential order.

Officials say the locals have shown a great spirit of cooperation with the disbarment forces on the ground.

More than 631 guns were reportedly collected from civilians of Greater Rumbek Counties this week.

The firearms are said to be the main catalyst for communal and revenge killings in the areas of Lakes State.

Speaking to Eye Radio today, Honorable Dharuai Mabor said the authorities should ensure that the weapons surrendered by the civil population are destroyed.

“We want the AK47 which has been collected from the civilians to be destroyed, and in the next parliament, we are going to engage the Ministry of Defense to produce a new weapon to the army so that a weapon will have a code,” he suggested.

Last month, President Salva Kiir launched the disarmament campaign in parts of the country in an attempt to end the cycle of violence in the restive states.

The campaign targets armed civilians in Lakes, Terekeka, Warrap and Jonglei areas, among other areas.

“I also call upon the task force to make sure that every soldier who has a gun in his house must report to his office at the Police, Prisons Service, Wildlife, and Fire Brigade so that the disarmament takes place accordingly,” Hon. Dharua concluded.